Catastrophic floods in Sicily: Month's rain in hours, chaos ensues
A flood hit Sicily, Italy, after exceptionally heavy rainfall. Meteorologists note that in just four hours, more rain fell on the island than usually falls in an entire month. The situation is dire in many areas.
Within this brief period, over 6 inches of rain inundated Sicily, overwhelming the water drainage system. Local authorities have acknowledged that this is an "event of exceptional scale."
Firefighters evacuated residents trapped on flooded streets, and cars were swept away by the water, especially in the Messina region. On Sunday, the equivalent of a month's rainfall fell in just four hours on the island.
Mudslides and people trapped in homes
Intense rainfall resulted in mudslides, with vehicles parked near waterways being swept away by the raging torrents. Firefighters carried out over 100 rescues, using rafts, among other means, to rescue people trapped in their homes.
Thanks to early meteorological warnings, injuries in affected areas were avoided, as reported by civil protection. Bad weather also impacted Calabria, in the south of the Italian peninsula, where the Mayor of Catanzaro, Nicola Fiorita, urged residents to stay indoors.
Source: lefigaro.fr, X
